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FORZA Flisuit Sleeved

this suit is better for people with a longer torso so no riding up in the crotch.

tested at TCSD’s October Aquathlon (swim and run)

Felt great. did not hinder my swim stroke (for under full sleeve wetsuit) and on the run blunt of torso and shoulder movement without any riding ups the crotch like so many other one-piece suits out there.

Bike – 5:55 better that expected. Was expecting a much harder course based upon local info. First race with Kestrel 4000 custom build. Very comfortable and relaxed.
Garmin data link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/473646339.

Run – 4:28 managed a nine minute faster run than last IM run.
Lack of training show up here.
Garmin data link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/473646345.

Finish time – 11:31:xx
16 minutes faster than my last IM back in September ’13.
13th in AG and 216th OV.

Local transportation and lodging courtesy of Rodrigo R. Would not have been possible without the hospitality.

Tired of DNS, so had to give it a go. I signed up for both the duathlon and triathlon way back in January (when not injured) to take advantage of the early registration rates. My big event is coming up in the beginning of June and I need to know if I’ll be able to compete. Not at the level I want, but just to do the event.

This race venue changed a little bit rom previous. The bike course added an extra mile or so. I have done the double a few times before and have made it back in time to make my adjusted start for the triathlon. This time, the longer bike course and my slower times made me miss my triathlon start time by four minutes or so.

Duathlon

Since i was not “racing”, I needed to see what kind of shape I was in. No running for the last month or so, mainly swimming with a couple of bike rides. Did not press it on the first run, just easy going. bike was fine, did not have (or need) the fighting spirit in me. And the second run was tempo but quite a bit off of my norm.

My Magellan Switch up, did not sync with any satellites and removed before the race, so I was only running on feel. On the bike my Motorola MotoActv was set on run, do did not have mph or cadence to keep me honest. I had no I idea what my overall time was until the finish clock. My second race, the triathlon, was to start 70 minutes after the duathlon start. If I had a watch with overall running time, I may have pushed myself a little harder. I walked the last 10 yards to the finish line. No competitors around , so no need to hurry.

Results

Finish: 1:00:10. 1st AG, 9th OV

Run (1mile): 6 minutes even. Bike (10.7 miles or so) 31:23 minutes. Run (5k) 22:xx.
Gemini timing sucks once again. NoT2 or run split so above is guestimated.

Finishing up lap 1 of the triathlon.

Triathlon

After finishing the du, I did not realize i needed to hustle my ass to make it to the start of my wave. I took it easy getting on my Synergy Endorphin long john wetsuit and finally made my way to the boat launch for the start. When I did realize I was late, I just proceeded in the water for my own “wave” start. Timing was chipped time and my chip was programmed to start at precisely 8:10 with or without me.

I did pass several yellow cap swimmers. Again no self-timing so not sure of my real swim time. Quick transition to the bike. Bike split and and effort felt about the same a previous. I did have my MotoActv set to bike this time, so I was able to watch mph and cadence. Pretty much was passing everyone one, a couple of the competitors (who were on time to the swim start) on their final lap did pass me. One guy, Fredrick W. a cancer survivor and next age group up came whizzing by me. I was pretty shocked at how good he was doing. I encouraged him and complemented him on his speed, He said it was his new Trek Speed Concept bike. I did end up passing him on the run.

I was a bit conservative on the run, during the run I did not have any adverse pains in my lower ab. My foot (toe) is still not 100% either, but i’m still able to land and press off with out any issues. It did swell up a little after though. Like I said, this was a work out/race to see what my body can handle and what it will fill like immediately after and the following days. I can not really compare my results to previous times racing this event or even against my normal competition.

Been planing getting another marathon in for spring but it ain’t happening. After my “fast” time at Surf City, I was hopping to get more training in and run an even faster marathon before my tri season kicks into full gear. Unfortunately, the body dictates what one can actually do.

Set back from lower abdominal muscle strain has limited my activity for the last three weeks. And just when it is/was getting better, I decided (accidentilly) to massively stub my pinky toe. Not a pretty sight…. toes are not supposed to point that direction. I decided not to take a picture of it, cause it would haunt me longer than it needs to. I quickly duct taped it to put it back into position and put on a compression sock to keep everything tight. Fortunately, it was in the evening and was able to be off my foot for a good 5 hours. I don’t think I broke anything because the pain was not massive and not throbbing.

THe next morning I removed the “bandage” to reveal a bit of swelling and bruising. Another day of no fitness training, just a couple of FitForPower bike fittings do complete. SLO half marathon still two days away. Continue hoping for the best. It’s a play it day by day (actually only 1 more day) situation.

So now it’s Saturday and event is tomorrow. My abdominal pain is actually not too noticeable – a great feeling. I really want to get out there and run!. Prognoses looks good. Now it’s an hour by hour decision. Yesterday, I decided to go ahead and drive up to SLO and decide race morning if I would run. Well, after my first 100 yard walk on my way to pick up the rental car it became clear – NO GO, just gotta face the facts. Call it quits while I am “ahead”.

This is my second DNS (for paid events) of my years, and first due to injury. I have been able to participate in all my races before, even with slight injuries, but this time it was no way. I have to look at the positive… I get to rest my lower abs even more. Now hoping to be fully recovered before my next event on the schedule, Rage Half Ironman.

I was hoping to have a strong tri season. I am off schedule my training by a good 6 weeks now, I have a lot of catching up to do, if my body allow it.

Chose to do the duathlon over the triathlon because it is “longer” than the triathlon. buy about 5 minutes. The triathlon is reverse and ends with a 200 yard pool swim. I have done the half marathon here so I knew a little bit about the area around the Rose Bowl.

I’ve been having lower abdominal muscle issues the last month. I survived my last half marathon, DNF a club duathlon and only been biking and swimming on a limited bases. The week leading up to this event I did not run at all and have used some anti-inflamitories to help relive the “pain”. Waking in the am was a bit painful along with coughing and squeezing. Any contraction of the lower abs was not good. Pre-race evening and race morning I loaded up on anti-inflamitoris and mentally blocked the pain to do this event.

I was surprised at the 1st 5k run. The course was a loop around the Rose Bowl. The slight incline slowed my pace down considerably, when I observed my pace thru the first mile or so I thought is was off. It was indicating 6:50, 6:40. I was expecting to run a high 18 minute, but ended with a 20:15-ish. I was keeping pace, a step ahead, of a young female participant… don’t wanna get chick’ed this early. The last half I was able to pick up the pace thanks to the slight decline in elevation.

1st 5k

T1 was quick, I posted the 2nd fasted of the day due to the Pyro Platforms. No need to change shoes. Just grab and go. I’ve been using my Skecher GoRun’s for these short duathlons and tri. Their low profile midsole allows for not too much power loss per pedal stroke.

The bike course is three loops around the Bowl… if you can count. I ended up doing and extra lap. Each lap cot more and more congested as more athletes got on course. This is a true local and beginner friendly course. One needs to use caution with the many slower and beginner athletes. I had to sit up often and cover the brakes. I Knew it was a three loop course and I thought I counted only three. I guess it was just too short and over too soon for me to accept. I had my MotoActv but it was recording as one workout not in sections and I had on my wrist so was not looking at it to review the miles traveled. Lap three I was “battling” it out with a few riders, but on my last lap (my number four) I did not see them at all. I thought they had slowed up a bit due to the slow traffic.

Before the masses were on course.

T2 was even quicker, again I posted the 2nd fastest time, just behind my buddy, Fran. As I was the same time as an “older” gentleman who has his helmet still on. I asked him “did you only do 2 laps” He looked at me kinda funny and said something like, no, I am not cheater. I did not figure it out at that point, but some one messed up. AsI continued on the run, I began seeing people I was way ahead. They were on the leg back to the finish and I was on the leg heading out. I finally figured it out when I saw the younger girl pass me in the other direction…then all those other competitors. My bike split was eight to ten minutes off pace due to my screw up.

The second run was an out a back course on the main street in front of the Rose Bowl. I stayed focused as much as I could while noticing all those “slower” people a head of me. Kind of sucked when I knew I should have been a head of them. My lower ab did not bother me at all during the event or after while hanging out to claim my 3rd place in age group award, finish time of 1:18:34. Yes I said award. That means if I didn’t screw up, I would have come in second anyways. Maybe next year…with a bike computer!

First, have to give thanks to Skechers Performance Shoes for helping securing a race entry.

Great weather for the event, it had been raining on and off for the last couple of days. Another perfect race day low 50’s to start and full sun.Started in wave one a few rows back. Was kind of surprised at how narrow the corrals were. In my opinion should have been double the width, anyways I did not see any pushing and shoving going on. This is the 2nd year of the event. It is known to be a fast course with one good hill. At mile nine, 300ft of hills. Enough to slow one’s pace by 30 seconds or more per mile. Once clear of the hill is is a little less than three miles of flat and down hills, where one can make up most of the lost time.

Broke out my race day shoes again, Skecher’s GoRun2 with my favorite Swiftwick socks. This combo has been good to me for my last two running races. I also want to see what kind of milage I cna get out of the shoe. Since my last heart rate tracking failed, I decided to wear my Scosche Rythm ( bluetooth armband pulse monitor) and track it with my iPhone 5. Success, I was predicting a 158 average rate, but turned out to be 168bpm. Spend 60% of race time in heart rate zone 4 and 40% in zone 5. That makes a little higher than my normal lactic threshold compared to my marathon pace. Gad to finally know my current hear rate condition.

Nutrition wise, I able to get away with only three GUs during the event, and one before hand. Chocolate Outrage is my favorite pre-race flavor. Water stations were spaced out pretty good. Clif was the nutrition sponsor of this event. Sorry I am not a Clif shot or gel fan , but their Clif Bars are the best.

When I finished I thought I had an”impressive” time of sub 1:27, but later realized the 1st mile was not calculated in. I had to reset my Garmin activity from Other to Run, and thus need to add that time in to make a true total. Had good consistent mile splits up to the hills, thru mile 8, where it dropped off 30 to 60 seconds for those 3 miles. Only had two miles of down hills to make up two minutes. Without those hills, I would have probably fallen off pace a little, but predicted would have finished with a pretty fast time. It is now time in the season to pick up the pace; less long as slow and more tempo runs. I want to end my running “season” with a strong finish. Have a couple more races before triathlon season and training takes over.